Thursday, January 31, 2013

Since this is the final day in January, I think it is a good time to review how my Year of Dares is going so far, and see if any adjustments need to be made.

We'll start with my Daily Dares. These are things that are important to me that I want to do everyday...

√ Pass a minimum of one French lesson on Duolingo30/31 days I think this has been a success. There was one day, when I was battling a cold and felt really out of it, that I just couldn't seem to concentrate enough to pass, and that is ok. Some days, I didn't think I could, but I did, and some day, I didn't wanna, but I did, and I am happy for it.

Call someone19/31 days Definitely less successful than I had hoped. I still have a LOT of anxiety around this at times, especially when I am feeling that could be any sense of discomfort around the call, someone judging me (real or imagined), talking to someone I don't know or like, the possibility of not saying the right thing... I build it up in my head and my body reacts with adrenaline and a racing heart, and it's easier to just avoid making the call.

I did notice that there were days when I felt better about this and made several calls, and I think this month I am going to take advantage of that. Instead of forcing myself to call on days when it's not necessary and either inconvenient or distressful, I'm going to dare myself to make 7 calls per week.

√ Create a rabbit31/31 days I just love doing this. I love creating and can lose myself in it, with hours passing me by unknowingly. There were some days I didn't *finish* my creation, but I did at least start a bunny everyday. I hope to experiment more with mediums other than paper & pencils, like more with scissors, clay, paints, nail art (oooo!), maybe even some baked goods! ^o^ It'll be exciting!

Today, I watched Operation Dumbo Drop. OMG did you see it? They dropped an elephant out of an airplane!!! I was in tears on the edge of my seat! But even before that scene, I had been inspired to draw an elephant with a bunny. There is some really cute bunny & elephant art out there, but here's what I came up with. Adorbz, n'est-ce pas?

And how about the other Dares, you wonder? The monthly ones? The big ones for the year? Well... not so good IMHO.

Two of my three big Dares for this month involved phone calls, and the 3rd involved putting myself out there. I got myself so worked up over the phone calls this month, that I couldn't bring myself to do more than download the applications for the districts to which I want to apply. So, I am going to roll my monthly dares over from last month in to February, and if I complete them before the middle of the month (that'd be by the 14th!), I will add on calling at least 3 of the districts to which I applied to try & get an interview.

My yearly Dares! I had only thought of one at the beginning of the month, to complete 12 picture books by the end of the year. I have thought of themes for half of them and done a few drawings so far! I am very excited to work on these!

And while I've not found a third big Dare, I have decided on a 2nd one. This one scares me. I want to be earning $1000 per month by the end of the year. I am not sure what form this income will take but I am daring myself to do it.

√ French lesson on Duolingo
Finally doing a little more than refreshing my memory. Actually learning a few new words (or words I had forgotten completely) and re-learning all that masculine/feminine stuff...

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

nour·ish·ment /'nəriSHmənt/ Noun1. The substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition

Food, air, love... I am blessed to have all these in abundance... But I wish for the financial stability to maintain these things with ease, to live in comfort without worry... the nourishment that comes from knowing the bills and needs can be paid for on time. That sense of safety...

We filed our taxes online this morning. I was bemoaning the fact that I didn't make very much money - not enough to even pay the few bills we have - and Jacqueline pointed out that it was more than I had made the year before, nearly double the amount I had made in 2010, and about 3x as much as I had made in 2009! Things *are* getting better! But still it's not enough. The more I think about it, the more I am determined to change this.

For my personal growth, my mental health, and the good condition of living, I wish for the nourishment of a minimum of $1000 per month in my bank account, and the blossoming and growth of a savings account.

You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt on your blog and then add a direct link to your post in the box [at the link] below. Support wishes by visiting other participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together.~ Jamie Ridler

Ok so that wasn't his reply, but I did giggle at that moment, thinking this... XD

On to the Dares!

French lesson on DuolingoI don't know, perhaps I could call this finished, but I choose not to. I did the same lesson about 5 times throughout the day, without passing, before finally giving up for the day.

Call someoneNope. Didn't feel like it.

Draw a rabbitWow. Yeah. Three strikes; you're out. I did spent 4+ hours finishing up the bunny girl from last January/the other day. Still can't decide on a final color, but here's what I did:

Welcome back to another Mosaic Monday Bunday! In case you haven't noticed, it's almost February! And you know what that means don't you? It means in just a few days we'll be celebrating Imbolc! Many of you may also know this holiday as Groundhog's Day, or even perhaps as Candlemas! No matter what you call it, this day always brings a bit of fun and the first hints of the coming Spring: a melting of the snow, a warming of the weather, a brightening of the day...

Today's Mosaic Monday Bunday celebrates Imbolc with a mosaic full of rabbits and lambs and candles, and if you look hard enough, the groundhog! Do you think he'll see his shadow? I hope not; I've had enough of winter already! Although, as my grandma always said, if he sees his shadow we'll have six more weeks of winter, if not, it'll only be a month and a half to an early spring! XD

I had a spurt of collecting words & pictures a week or two ago, and finally put it all together tonight. I found an old calendar with an image that fit the mood I was feeling -- warmth, summer, green, growth, flowing, yet grounded and solid -- and then played around with the bits I had collected. I am hungry for the delight of the best year ever, time to savor everything, with no worries, adventures, fun & games, a getaway to the Holiday Inn Express, and the growth, flowering, and unending cascade of savings, joy, passion, and good stuff! ^-^ I am so hungry for this very possible dream.

The wolf reminds us to connect to our hunger, to notice what desires are calling for our attention. Our dreamboards can help us bring these desires to light and to being! This is an invitation to not just notice our desires but to begin the important work of tending to them, stepping into what we can do to honour what we know of our dreams. What a beautiful way to begin the year.~ Jamie Ridler

Friday, January 25, 2013

Another long cold day. Tomorrow I don't have to go anywhere or do anything. YAY! I hope we can get the house warm!

√ French lesson on Duolingo
I was doing parfait until the end when it told me that Le livre noir est joli did not mean "The black book is attractive" although every other translation said that attractive was an acceptable alternate to pretty.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Today has been up & down for me... Whew! I'll be glad when winter is over and at least we don't have Mother Nature throwing us curve balls as well as Life! LOL!

√ French lesson on Duolingo
Adjectifs est facile!

√ Call someone
Called my mom!

√ Draw a rabbit
I started this rabbity girl drawing last year about this time, you know, drew her, lined her, scanned her, started coloring, and I thought today I'd just finish up her coloring for today's rabbit... Guess what? I got distracted with a bunch of other pictures and haven't finished yet! o.O Soooo... Yeah... Her shirt & skirt still need coloring, but here she is so far!

Long day was WAAAAAAAY long, and WAAAAAAAAY tiring, but I can look back on it with joy, so it's all good! We took the girls down to Syracuse over what appeared to be unplowed snowy roads, in a freezing cold car, so Lia could meet up with one of her favorite unschooling friends and hang out at DestinyUSA for a several hours! She even got to do some cool climbing at the Canyon Climb Adventure Ropes Challenge Course and we finished the evening with a fun dinner at our favorite Chinese buffet!

But when we got home, I got right to work...

√ French lesson on DuolingoSilly typos made me have to restart my lesson. Also, I did not know what lourd meant and when they asked me over & over to translate that this or that was HEAVY, I kept getting it wrong because I would use gros/grosse! >.<

Call someoneWe were out most of the day, not getting home until late, so I never had the chance to call anyone on the phone.

√ Draw a rabbitOoo... not too good, but I was soooper tired. It's a sketch of a leetle ceramic figurine I have on the shelf above my desk..

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

This is something I've been thinking a lot about lately. We live in a mobile home manufactured in the 80s, with 'improvements' made by a not-so-handyman before we moved in. We don't make a lot of extra money so anything we've done to the house has been as an emergency kind of thing, and it needs a lot of work.

But we love this property. We moved in with the intent to buy (the landlord is willing to sell on a land contract, which would kind of be like rent-to-own), but it seems whenever we've had money for the down payment, something would go wrong with the car that would take all the funds.

Now, my father's health is failing, my mother wants to see more of me, and there just doesn't seem to be any kind of work in this area for any of us. :\ Moving closer to my parents - as well as the rest of our family! - would mean more employment opportunities, as well as being able to see them with less time & money spent on traveling.

But to trade our secluded 3-acre wood for an apartment in the city leaves us feeling anxious and uncomfortable. Even if it's a temporary thing.

Irregardless of whether or not we decide to move, I wish for my home to be filled with love and laughter, joy and fun, peace and stability, and I wish for my home to feel comfortable and safe for all members of my family.

You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt on your blog and then add a direct link to your post in the box [at the link] below. Support wishes by visiting other participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together.~ Jamie Ridler

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Today we have been pounded with snow, as some might say... It didn't really come in a pounding manner, like a hurricane might, but rather a smothering manner... Since early today it's just been snowing and snowing and snowing and snowing and snowing... Much like the Energizer bunny... LOL!

How about my dares?

√ French lesson on DuolingoNot too bad; I think I need to slow down sometimes...

√ Call someoneCalled & talked to mom, not much snow down there she said...

√ Draw a rabbitTa-da! This one needs color & text but I *ELL*OH*VEE*EE* LOVE it!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

√ French lesson on DuolingoI have finished the basics, food & animals, and am now onto adjectives! Yay!

√ Call someoneOops. I didn't *not* call someone on purpose. I just realized I hadn't and now it's too late. :\ Tomorrow will be better!

√ Draw a rabbitThis thing I like about doing these is that I get to play around with different mediums and try stuff I wouldn't usually work with, but that I have laying about, which is why I've been working with the chalks & pastels. I like the colors both lay down, but I can't yet figure out how to get it smooth enough for my tastes. And I get to try different styles too. This was supposed to be just a black & white pencil drawing with a faint bit of red on the rabbit's rump, as they are mostly yellowish-grey & black in real life, with a reddish rump. Well... I went overboard again.

Oh, why a Sumatran Striped Rabbit? Besides that they have a fabulous coat, I used a list I found a long time ago, 365 Drawing Themes, by flutterbuddie on deviantart (account gone now, but omg you can still find the list!), and I chose #120 off it because today is 1-20! ^o^ Theme was FOREIGN. And there you have it. That's why.

Welcome back to another Mosaic Monday Bunday! This week's episode is brought to you by the letter B, for birthday and bunny, and by the number 19, which is how old my darling daughter Esme will be on Monday! Hoppy hoppy birthday, Esme Esme Bo-Bezz-Mee! I hope your day is full of love & joy!

Monday, January 14, 2013

Just a quick update! I've been working on a project and unable to post about my daily dares! But never fear, I *have* been keeping up with them!

I've been moving right along doing my French lessons on Duolingo and have completed 14 lessons already! (Yup, I am ahead!)

And I have been drawing a bunny every day too! I have done one in chalk pastels (omg the mess!) and a jackalope and some cutesy simple ones just because I've been so busy with this other project! As soon as I finish, I'll be scanning & uploading them all, and that should be by the end of the week! ^o^

However, I have not been doing so well calling people. I allow myself to get absorbed in and distracted by my art and the day slips away so quickly, and then it's no longer an option. :\ I just need to push through the fear and do it! Maybe I'll set an alarm for tomorrow....

Thursday, January 10, 2013

So tired again. Had to do errands today and it quite tired me out. But when we got home...

√ French lesson on DuolingoI had to try again with my one lesson, but did it the 2nd time no problems. The phrases & words they are teaching me are different than how I learned them, but they are still similar enough...

I think he looks a but more like Max Headroom than J, and I need to work on making my blacks darker. If I was slick (as Lia says), I'd line this drawing, erase pencil, then scan it for neat coloring on computer; and if I was REALLY slick, I'd have done it on better paper so I could use ink, but as it stands, this is what you get.

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Well, today was a sunny fabulous day here, but about the time the sun went down, I lost my motivation... I didn't do too bad though...

√ French lesson on DuolingoThe lesson had a problem with one of the sentences and kept saying my dictationof French, wasn't written in French, when it clearly was! Elle manges du pain.

Call someoneI kinda failed at this. I did dial the phone for 3 different people, but didn't get an answer at any of the numbers. :( I didn't get a machine at one, and the other 2 I hung up before the machine could pick up. :\

√ Draw a rabbitToday's bunny is completely out of my head. No photo refs or anything. Obvy my teacup needs work, but I think I didn't do too bad on the bunny! ^-^

Friday, January 04, 2013

I haven't made much progress on any of my other Dares, but my chosen daily ones have been getting done, no matter how challenging they are to me. Here is today's progress report:

√ French lesson on Duolingo
Need to remember my verb endings...

√ Call someone
Only one call today; although I did try to call 2 people, I meant to call 3.

√ Draw a rabbit
Today's bunny is in response to the Illustration Friday prompt: EDGE, and I used this bunny as a photo reference. I am wishing I had one of those fancy artists' erasers that look like a pencil for doing whiskers...

I added 97 books to goodreads in 2012, and I think that's just about all of them. I may have missed a few but that's ok. I don't keep track because I am worried I am not reading enough, or want to read more, just because I have a bad memory and like to have a way to remember if I've read something or not... XD

Anyway, of those 97 books, these are the ones -- in no particular order -- that garnered 5 stars from me...

Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen (February)
Comments: This was SUCH a good book! I rented the movie not too long ago and loved it. Since the book was also on my to-read list, I picked it up from the library next time I was there. The book draws out the story, gives more details, and is much more compelling and vivid than the movie.

Dark Whispers (Unicorn Chronicles #3), Bruce Coville (May)
Comments: OMG! Every chapter seemed to end with a dun-dun-dun dramatic moment! And the end of the book, biggest of all! I cannot wait to get the final in the series...

The Last Hunt (Unicorn Chronicles #4), Bruce Coville (July)
Comments: Kept me on the edge of my seat, turning pages til the wee hours of the morning! I think I may have even woken up Jacqueline a few times with my yelling at the author for leaving another cliff-hanging chapter... LOL! Wonderful ending to the series...

Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art, Scott McCloud (January)
Comments:This was an amazing book that delves into the elements of comics, its history, how art & words combine, and so much more... I would love to explore this book more in depth!

Cats and Carols, Lesley Anne Ivory (added in January)
Comments: I got this book many years ago and bring it out every holiday season. Filled with delightful cat illustrations and the lyrics to some of my favorite holiday carols, it is one of my favorite holiday traditions.

Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card (February)
Comments: Sci-fi isn't one of my favorite genres, and I don't like books about wars or battles and generally skip over those bits in most books. However this book was all that, but it was so much more. Don't let it's subject matter put you off of reading it.

Cook-a-Doodle-Doo!, Janet Stevens (May)
Comments: I *LOVE* this book! Cook-a-Doodle-Doo updates the classic tale of the Little Red Hen, by telling us the story of her great-grandson, Big Brown Rooster, and how he and a few friends do some cooking of their own. Janet Stevens' art beautifully illustrates the story, rich with color and movement. The book also includes sidebars that define and explain different cooking terms, and at the end, you will find the recipe Big Brown Rooster and his friends used in the story. Best part of all? The story is FULL of puns, my favorite! I would recommend this book to children and adults alike, especially if you enjoy word play, retellings of old folk tales, and wonderful art.

Seven Tears Into the Sea, Terri Farley (June)
Comments: I didn't write anything at the time I read it, but remember that it was a magical tale of a young girl's coming of age on the California coast. I won't say more...

Tide Knot (Ingo #2), Helen Dunmore (August)
Comments: Another tale about the sea, part two in a great series. I am hoping I can get the next one soon!

The Summoning (Darkest Powers #1), Kelley Armstrong (August)
The Awakening (Darkest Powers #2), Kelley Armstrong (August)
The Reckoning (Darkest Powers #3), Kelley Armstrong (August)
Comments: Great trilogy that takes place in a world much like our own, but some people have paranormal abilities, werewolves, vampires, necromancers...

The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1), Kelley Armstrong (August)
The Calling (Darkness Rising #2), Kelley Armstrong (September)
Comments: Takes place in the same universe as the Darkest Powers but follows a different storyline. I didn't write a review at the time I read it, and I am still waiting for the final book in the trilogy.

Prism, Faye Kellerman (September)
Comments:Mysterious, dystopian, suspenseful... An amazing book that I would have read in one night if I wasn't so tired. As it stands I read it in two nights, and am left wishing there was more. The end does leave off in a way where there *could* be a sequel, but at this time there isn't. *sadface*

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Today started out not so shiny again; I had a very bad night's sleep and was awake far earlier than I wanted to be. However, I had a nice morning visiting my mom, and finally got some answers I had been looking for. I spent a few hours with my dad at the hospital before the cold & dark chased me home, and have once again succeeded in all 3 of my daily dares!

I again called *two* different folks and talked to them on the phone -- and one even involved an anxiety-inducing return call -- and did my French lesson on Duolingo with only one mistake!

Tuesday, January 01, 2013

So today was Day One of the new year and my new plan to DARE to do 3 things each day, 3 each month, and 3 big ones over the year.

It turned out to be... not a very good day. I don't like to be negative. I don't want to dwell on it and be pessimistic about things, but after days like today, it's so easy to fall into it.

If you read my last post you know my 3 Daily Dares (to be done every day this year) are:

Call someone on the phone

Complete one French lesson on Duolingo

Create something

Despite being away from home all day, running errands and dealing with much unpleasantness, I managed to do all three! I called -- and spoke with -- *two* different people on the phone at my mother's house, and when I got home, I managed a French lesson, and although I didn't *finish* this, I did create it, and even decided that the 365 things I am going to create this year will all be the same theme: BUNNIES! ^o^ (Bet you totally did *not* see that coming...)

Last year, my word was DO, and I did ok for a while, but by March I kinda got weighed down by my fears and insecurities, and let the DO-ing slip. This year, I've chosen a word, and given myself some actionable steps to make sure I stick with it!

My word is DARE.

Do it!Assert yourself!Risk failure!Experience success!

Jacqueline has planned to do 5 special things with her word throughout the year, 5 each month, and I think 5 each day, but for me, 3 is the magic number, so I've chosen to do 3 big DAREs over the year, 3 DAREs each month, and 3 each day.

I've not yet chosen what all three of my big DAREs are for the year, but the first is to do Julie Hedlund's 12x12 Picture Book Writing Challenge. I can't afford to actually join, but I'm going to push myself to create 12 picture books this year; I've even got some ideas for the first few already! I'll likely choose the other 2 DAREs for the year before the month is out.

My daily DAREs are smaller, but somewhat challenging for me. The first and scariest for me is to call someone every day, my mom or dad, a friend, a potential employer... ANYONE. I just need to get over the anxiety I get whenever I think of making a phone call. Second is a challenge only because it's one of the first things I stop doing whenever problems arise and I think it's one the most important things I can do: CREATE something; draw a picture, paint, sculpt, whatever... just make sure I work on art EVERYDAY. And last is preparation for something I hope to do someday soon: Do one French lesson minimum on Duolingo. This way I hope to improve and expand my French speaking skills for a trip to Paris!

And then, each month I plan to choose 3 important things I need to DARE to do. This month I need to 1) contact a local school district I sub in to find out why they haven't been calling me, 2) call another district I used to sub in to see about getting calls from them again, and 3) by the end of the month send out subbing applications for more local districts. I am just not getting enough calls!

By the beginning of each month, I'll have listed the DAREs and the actions I need to take to call them done, and by the end of this week, I'll have more actionable steps for each of these DAREs. Have you got a Word of the Year or any resolutions at all? Feel free to share them with me in the comments! For now, I must go watch that ball drop! Hoppy 2013 Everyone!

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